


Guess who's coming to dinner?

by Sunnytyler001



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-07
Updated: 2012-01-07
Packaged: 2017-10-29 03:20:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/315248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sunnytyler001/pseuds/Sunnytyler001
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU. Eddard & Catelyn are still alive. Sansa comes home and introduce her betrothed to her parents</p>
            </blockquote>





	Guess who's coming to dinner?

This hadn’t been a good day for Lady Catelyn Stark. First thing in the morning, her daughter Arya had decided to announce she would officially become a knight. This kind of career might have been acceptable for a woman without any beauty, as Lady Brienne, but Arya was far from ugly. If only she was not so wild.

Catelyn sighed in defeat. Maybe it was for the best, after all. She couldn’t even imagine what kind of trouble Arya would create if a noble Lord asked for her hand.

Gods, Arya might actually challenge him to a fight and cut off his hand or worse! This humiliation might have a high cost for House Stark. And knowing how much Eddard loved his daughter, he would never try to reason with her!

Letting her keep her sword had been his first mistake. Her beloved husband had always been too sweet with her.

Then, maybe becoming a Lady Knight would be less scandalous than marrying that bastard of King Robert’s who seemed to be so fond of her. Gendry, his name was, if she recalled it right?

At least, her sister would make a good wedding. The first attempt to marry Sansa had been a terrible mistake. But this time, the union seemed to be blessed by the Gods.

Well, if she was honest, Catelyn had to admit her elder daughter had behaved quite forwardly. Getting engaged without asking her father his permission, without asking her for her advice, and not even telling them in her letter the name of her beloved!

But Sansa had seemed so happy that Catelyn didn’t have the heart to deny anything to her daughter. The poor girl had had so many dark times at such a young age! It was only justice that she would find true love at last.

Lady Catelyn tried to picture her daughter’s betrothed. Surely, he would be handsome, just like the knights in the songs Sansa loved so much. Maybe he would be a knight from a noble house.

House Tyrell had a few valiant knights, all brave and courteous. Maybe Sansa had found her own true knight among the Roses. This alliance would be quite an asset for House Stark.

Catelyn smiled happily, thinking of her beautiful daughter in a garden of blossoming flowers.

A rose among the roses. Yes, this would be perfect!

Or maybe she had chosen a lord from Dorne? House Martell was known for its courage and honour. Maybe House Tyrell was too sly for her sweet Sansa. Some of their roses were quite thorny. Maybe she would be happier living by the seaside, enjoying an eternal sunny weather with her true love by her side. The Martell men were said to be quite passionate lovers.

Perhaps the fire of this family had already set ablaze Sansa’s mind.

Yes, Catelyn was sure of it, whoever her elder daughter had chosen, he would be the perfect son-in-law: handsome, courteous, honourable. She would be proud to tell everyone her daughter had made such a brilliant alliance and, she was sure, a very happy marriage. As happy as hers was, she hoped.

Lady Catelyn was in heaven, thinking of how beautiful her grandchildren would be. She hoped Sansa and her husband would come and visit Winterfell from time to time. Maybe Ned would let her go to Dorne? She had always wanted to see Sunspear! And there was no better reason to go there than the birth of her first grandchild.

Joyous and already celebrating such a fructuous union, Catelyn went down the stairs to the great hall where her husband and the Stark bannermen were waiting for her. Arya was here too. The disobedient girl had refused to wear a dress, even for her sister’s return.

The lady of the house shrugged. Well, if she wanted to look like a man and stay a maid for the rest of her life, Catelyn decided she wouldn’t oppose herself to Arya’s choice. Nothing would spoil her day. And, whether Sansa was betrothed to a Tyrell or a Martell, her alliance would bring enough prestige to House Stark for Arya to stay unmarried and as ridiculous and scandalous as she pleased.

Catelyn saw her husband coming towards her. She smiled as Ned gallantly offered her his arm and led her outside: Sansa and her future husband’s arrival had been announced.

Lady Stark was growing impatient, trying to arrange her coat in an elegant way. She had to look her best to welcome her son-in-law. First impressions were always the most important; her father had always told her so. She wanted Sansa’s husband to believe that the ladies of his new family were all as beautiful and courteous as his beloved wife. Thinking suddenly of her younger daughter, Catelyn threw her a reproachful look. Well, there were always exceptions, weren’t there?

She was expecting any minute now a great equipage of six or eight horses, with the Martell or the Tyrell’s coat of arms, to arrive at Winterfel, with knights riding powerful warhorses, protecting their masters.

However, she was quite surprised when she saw only one black horse pass the castle’s gates.

Sansa was on it and a tall ugly man was holding her a bit too closely for Catelyn’s taste.

Behind her, Lady Catelyn heard a few gasps from her Lord husband’s bannermen. Obviously, the knight was well-known their closeness was shocking more than one.

From the corner of her eye, she also saw Arya playing with the pommel of her sword, ready to fight. She had an expression of anger on her face.

Whoever Sansa was bringing home, he was not welcome. But where in the Mother’s name was her betrothed?

Her handmaiden, who usually kept quiet and was so respectful, pulled her sleeve and whispered in her ear: “My Lady, it’s the Hound! It’s the Hound! The Mother protects us all!”, her voice shaking with fear.

The Hound? Oh yes, she remembered now. Sandor Clegane. That dreadful mad dog in the service of the Lannisters. Catelyn frowned. This was not right. Why was her sweet Sansa with such an unpleasant character?

Did he change his alliances? Did he work now for Sansa’s betrothed? She couldn’t imagine anyone with some sense employing a man with such a bad reputation.

The Hound had already dismounted and was helping Sansa to the ground, his filthy hands on her waist.

Something passed between the two of them. The way her daughter was looking lovingly at this monster. The way he was actually smiling at her.

No.

No. No. No. No. By the mother’s name, no, please, no.

Gods old and new, it couldn’t be possible. Not him. Not this ugly beast!

Just to picture her sweet, beautiful Sansa in the arms of this pitiless butcher, was too much for Lady Catelyn. She felt like dying.

But she stayed strong. Winter was coming, as Ned always said. And Winter was Sandor Clegane.

Or maybe he wasn’t. Maybe she was wrong. Yes, of course, she was wrong! She knew her daughter’s tastes. Sansa could never love such a man… or he had her under some kind of a spell.

A strong spell, if there was one. Sansa had never looked so happy. Even when she had believed she was in love with Prince Joffrey, her daughter had not looked as blissful as she did now.

She was all smiles and laughter and courtesy, kissing her father’s cheek, holding her in her arms. When she had finished her joyous reunion, Sansa decided it was time to introduce her escort.

Catelyn joined her hands in a silent prayer to the Mother and the Maiden. She prayed that she had been wrong, that her eyes caught something innocent, a sweet complicity between a knight and his lady- even if the Hound was no knight- and not the caresses of lovers.

Her heart sank in her chest as she heard Sansa’s melodious voice saying those fateful words: “Father, mother, please, let me introduce you to my betrothed, Lord Sandor Clegane.”

All went black as Lady Catelyn fainted.


End file.
